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BLACK TAPE VS. WHITE TAPE

by
Heath Price-Khan
/ Arizona Coyotes

Every player in the NHL tapes the blade of their stick. Tape comes in many different sizes and colors, so there are a lot of options available. For the most part, players will either use black or white tape, and once they make the choice it tends to become habitual.

The reasons for a player’s decision are determined by a variety of factors. It can be as simple as the first color tape your dad or coach gave you as a kid. A player may stay with that forever, or hit a goal scoring drought and switch it up. Some make the choice based on following their hockey idols preference, and some go primarily based on a variety of superstitions.

The biggest myth out there is that black tape helps you hide the puck from goalies, but Coyotes netminder Mikael Tellqvist was very definitive in saying that it does not make a difference to a goalie what the shooter uses.

There are also different kinds of tape to choose, ranging from the widely used thin black tape to a thicker extra sticky version known as “Friction” or “Gordie Howe Tape”.

Another myth is that white tape is for the skilled stick handlers because they can see the puck better on their stick. How can this be true if Wayne Gretzky used black tape?

PhoenixCoyotes.com decided to investigate what goes in to this decision, and how important tape choice is to a player. Watch the following video and learn why Wayne Gretzky and many of your favorite Coyotes have chosen black or white tape.